The present invention relates to drain hoses of the type having a first end which presents an inlet cuff, or the like, adapted to be connected to the discharge tube of a household appliance and having a second end which presents a connector means by which to effect communication with a standpipe, or the like, presented from the household sanitary system.
The drain hoses presently available are either intended to be loosely received within the standpipe or are provided with a connector of some configuration which permits the drain hose to be fixedly secured to the standpipe, or the like. Loosely inserting the drain hose into the standpipe has proven to be unacceptable because, under certain conditions, the pressure of the waste fluid exiting the drain hose will cause the drain hose to self-eject from the standpipe. Although a fixed connection between the drain hose and the standpipe will preclude inadvertent ejection of the drain hose from the standpipe, fixed connections of the type heretofore known require that the installer stock a plurality of components so he may employ the one that is best suited for the particular installation. This is necessary because of the wide range of internal diameters that can be encountered from one standpipe to another. As a result, it is necessary for the installer to maintain an inventory and to have a number of different diameter drain connectors available on site so that a return to the shop for parts will not generally be necessary.
If the connector means is molded integrally to the drain hose, an expensive inventory of pre-assembled drain hoses must be maintained, and the service vehicle must have sufficient space to carry a selection of drain hoses fitted with different size connector means as well as any other necessary parts. On the other hand, if the outlet connector means is not integrally molded to the drain hose, the installer will be obliged to assemble the connector means to the drain hose at the installation site. This procedure also requires the maintenance of a large inventory of connector means, and the necessary on-site assembly will consume additional time, thereby increasing the cost of installation.